


The Four of Us

by GoldenS0422



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Dark, Anakin Skywalker Redemption, F/M, Padmé Amidala Lives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-03
Updated: 2020-09-03
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:07:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26276128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GoldenS0422/pseuds/GoldenS0422
Summary: Then, something clicked in Padmé. Something that made her think that there was one more way to do this. She didn’t want to be anywhere without Anakin. She wanted to be with him, and she soon learned that there was only one way to do that, and that was to join him. That was to be with him. That was the only way she could be with Anakin, and most importantly, that was the only way she could wash all of the darkness away in him. Perhaps one argument couldn’t wash it all away, and it would take a while, but this was for her Ani. This was for him.
Relationships: Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker, Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker | Darth Vader
Comments: 3
Kudos: 38





	The Four of Us

She landed on the lava-filled planet that is Mustafar, and she knew Anakin was here. She got off the seat and made her way through the ship. Padmé ran down the ramp as it lowered onto the flooring, and in the distance, she saw her husband, Anakin Skywalker, coming to meet her, and he caught her in a hug as they met. She had heard so much about Anakin and what he had done, and she needed to know if all of it was true. She didn’t want to believe it, even if it may be true, but it would still be best to learn the truth, harsh or not.

“I saw your ship,” he said. “What are you doing here?”

“I was so worried about you,” she kept panting. “Obi-Wan told me terrible things.”

“What things?”

“He said you’ve turned to the dark side,” a sad expression engulfed her face. “That you…killed younglings.”

“Obi-Wan is trying to turn you against me,” he murmured.

“He cares about us,” she replied.

“Us?”

“He knows. He wants to help you.”

A mocking smile came up on Anakin’s face as Padmé spoke up again, “Anakin, all I want is your love.”

He shook his head quickly, “Love won’t save you, Padmé. Only my new powers can do that.”

“At what cost? You’re a good person, don’t do this,” she pleaded.

“I won’t lose you the way I lost my mother. I am becoming more powerful than any Jedi has ever dreamed of, and I’m doing it for you. To protect you.”

She cupped his face, getting desperate to get her Ani back, “Come away with me. Help me raise our child. Leave everything else behind while we still can.”

“Don’t you see? We don’t have to run away any more. I have brought peace to the Republic. I am more powerful than the Chancellor, I-I can overthrow him, and together, you and I can rule the galaxy, make things the way we want them to be!”

As she looked at his face, she saw a smile on it, but it wasn’t the smile she knew and loved. It was a smile drunken with power. It was a smile swelling with evil. It was a smile that she knew was anything but true. It was a smile that begged for something else. She slowly took a few steps back as she shook her head, “I don’t believe what I’m hearing. Obi-Wan was right: You’ve changed.”

Anakin’s face became grim as he was about to make a point clear, “I don’t want to hear any more about Obi-Wan. The Jedi turned against me, don’t you turn against me.”

Then, something clicked in Padmé. Something that made her think that there was one more way to do this. She didn’t want to be anywhere without Anakin. She wanted to be with him, and she soon learned that there was only one way to do that, and that was to join him. That was to be with him. That was the only way she could be with Anakin, and most importantly, that was the only way she could wash all of the darkness away in him. Perhaps one argument couldn’t wash it all away, and it would take a while, but this was for her Ani. This was for him.

She sighed, “Okay.” She looked behind him and saw Obi-Wan there, and she was about to wonder how he had gotten inside but remembered the situation she was in, so she looked back at her husband, “I’ll join you, Ani.”

A thankful smile formed itself on Anakin’s face, “Thank you.” However, that smile was washed away when he looked to the familiar man behind her. It was _Obi-Wan_. Anger began to wash over the gratefulness.

“Ani, you have to believe me!”, she exclaimed suddenly. “I d-didn’t know he was onboard! Please, Ani, believe me.”

Anakin sighed deeply, calming himself down, before he whispered into her ear, “Play dead, then kill him.”

Anakin made a choking gesture with his arm that was pointed at Padmé, and knowing what she had to do, she held onto her neck before falling onto the ground, faking unconsciousness. She could feel Obi-Wan making his way down now, getting ready for a standoff with his former Padawan, and around a minute later, Obi-Wan indeed began exchanging words with Anakin. Padmé took this chance to run back to the ship and grab her blaster.

“You’ve allowed this…Dark Lord to twist your mind, until now, you’ve become the very thing you swore to destr-“

Obi-Wan held onto his stomach as he felt the blaster bolts hit the back of it. She looked back slowly to see Padmé pointing her blaster at him before she mouthed, “I’m sorry.” Obi-Wan fell onto the ground, and he knew he had lost.

____________________

Padmé met with the Emperor. Anakin’s robotic hand laying on her back as she made her way forward to the now-hideous Emperor of the Galactic Empire. Anakin said the Emperor would say things about what would happen to her life now that she would be a part of the Empire now. He had also made it clear that she would no longer be a Senator and would be a more…privileged member of the Empire. She was still wearing her outfit from Mustafar, but it was covered in sins and…even regret. _Was there still an Anakin Skywalker in Darth Vader?_

“Ah, Senator Amidala,” the Emperor gave a crooked smile. “We haven’t really seen each other yet, so I’m glad you could make it.”

“Yes, I’m…glad, too,” she lied.

The Emperor then looked down at her obvious baby bump, “I understand that you are in…quite a situation, so I will not be putting a lot of work on your shoulders for the meanwhile.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” she replied in a solemn voice.

“In fact, I shall also provide you with some security,” he declared. “As the wife of my right-hand man in the Empire, you should have the right a lot of privileges.”

“You hear that?”, Anakin whispered into her ear. “You’ll be safe.”

“I see,” she said. “Might I ask what my role may be within the Empire?”

“Hmm,” the Emperor stroked his chin for a few moments before coming up with an answer. “From now on, you shall no longer be known as Senator Amidala, but rather, as _Lady Vader_ , the Imperial Mistress, wife of the Supreme Commander and Imperial Enforcer.”

“I thank you for giving me these…privileges, Your Majesty. Once I am physically capable, I shall serve you and this Empire to the best of my ability,” she replied, her voice still remaining outstandingly solemn.

“Thank you, my dear,” he smiled down at her again. “You may go now. I do understand that a pregnant woman like you would definitely be a lot more…cautious at this point.”

So, this was how it was going to be now. She and Anakin would be nothing but pawns to the Emperor. She would have to fake her happiness towards her husband. She would never find true happiness again, at least not for a while. She would be trapped, and she would suffer. She would not be happy.

____________________

Their children, Luke and Leia, were born the next day, and that would be the last time she gave a true smile. After the bliss of birth, she fell back into the real world that she lived in, and it was a galaxy that was ruled by an iron fist, helped by the man she once knew as her husband, Anakin Skywalker. She knew Anakin still loved her, and she knew that somewhere inside of her, she still loved him, but she knew that the part of her that loved him oh-so-deeply would never come out to try and love the man she now knew as _Darth Vader._

As the months passed, Padmé, now publicly known as _Lady Vader_ , eventually got an active role in the Empire again. She was in charge of a fair amount of political duties, being a contrast to Vader’s typical military duties.

Padmé was given a good amount of authority, and she used that to try and do the smallest bit of good that she could do with her power. She knew she couldn’t do something as good as freeing the galaxy from its ruler, but she tried to help with the little things like support the poor, and she was glad that, at the very least, Vader supported her when she was busy running these programs. She also felt like she would be doing the right things when she did these programs that supported the poor.

A year after she became known as Lady Vader, and Padmé was eventually numb to all the pain that seeing her Anakin being trapped by the Dark Side. She still loved him, but that love was hidden deep within the dark chambers of her heart.

_Lady Vader proclaims the end of the Imperial Senate_ , the header of the article read before she closed it.

Padmé closed the holopad after reading the articles about her relating to how she recently ended the Imperial Senate. She then leaned back against the headboard before it happened.

Just like on Mustafar, something clicked inside of her. Something that made her think she could still save him. Something that made her think that even after one year in the darkness, there was still good inside of him. Something that made her think that she shouldn’t be living this life. Something that made her think that underneath the thick layers of Darth Vader was her husband and true love, Anakin Skywalker. Something that made her think that she had to do something, and to do it now.

Padmé covered her face with her hands and began crying into them. She sobbed as she began to realize the consequences of becoming numb to the pain. She sobbed as she realized what she had done wrong. She sobbed as she realized what she had become. She sobbed as she learned that living with it was not right. She sobbed as she remembered what had happened to her dearest husband. She sobbed as she began to miss her beloved Anakin Skywalker who was trapped behind Darth Vader, that monster that the Emperor created. She sobbed and sobbed until a man came into the room.

“Padmé?”, he asked before running next to her. “Padmé, what’s wrong?”

It was Vader, formerly Anakin Skywalker, who was trying to comfort her.

“Please, Ani,” she began pleading, her voice breaking easily.

“What do you mean?”

“Please, run away with me.”

“Padmé, what are you saying-“

“Please!”, she shouted, silencing Vader. “What you’ve done for the past year, I cannot believe them. I cannot believe that you are the Anakin Skywalker that I love. I cannot believe that you were that man I married under the skies of Naboo. I cannot believe that you are him.”

“Padmé-“

“Please,” tears began to fall down her face. “I want my Anakin back. I want my Ani back, please.”

There was nothing but silence from Darth Vader for a minute or two as Padmé kept crying into her hands. Eventually, Vader let out a big sigh, “Okay.”

Padmé’s teary eyes were exposed as she looked at Darth Vader, surprised at the decision he made, surprised at the fact that this attempt wasn’t futile unlike her last one on Mustafar.

“I’ll pack everything,” he said weakly. “Just watch the babies, please.”

She nodded with a glimmer of hope in her eyes, “Okay.”

____________________

Padmé and Vade- no, Anakin, at least that’s who she thought he was now, were on their way to a planet far away, nowhere near the Imperial rule. This planet, she knew, contained Vader’s resthouse that he had privately ordered to be made for a vacation for him and Padmé, and nobody except Vader truly knew where it was. Everyone who should’ve known would have their memory wiped. Not even the Emperor himself knew of where this resthouse was. He and Padmé would be safe there.

Anakin landed the shuttle onto the grasslands, and over at the distance was the resthouse. Padmé remembered that this resthouse and its surroundings intentionally had a lot of similarities to the lake of Naboo, and she vaguely remembered enjoying her stay there with Vader, one of the few times she felt happy, perhaps the last one after the birth of the twins.

After Anakin moved all of their belongings inside, he and Padmé met up outside. Padmé had the twins inside moving cribs.

Anakin sighed, “Padmé, I’m sorry.”

Padmé gave him a sympathetic look, “What do you mean?”

“I’m sorry for everything I did. I should’ve listened to you back on Mustafar, to just run away together and leave everything behind.”

She smiled lightly, and her smile held true, “Let’s take a seat for a bit.”

Padmé led Anakin to a place near a lake with the twins still in their cribs, and the two sat on the grass by it, “Look at this. It’s lovely, isn’t it?”

He nodded, “It is.”

“So, we’re going to live here now?”, she asked. “Forever? Just the four of us?”

“Just the four of us,” he smiled in return, and like hers, his smile held true. “If that’s what you want.”

She chuckled, her first genuine in a long time, before her smile outshined the sun, “It is what I want.”

“Look, Padmé, you don’t have to force yourself to be with me,” he murmured to her.

She frowned quickly, “What do you mean?”

“You know, after all I’ve done and all I’ve did to you, even if I didn’t know I was doing it, I don’t deserve to be in your life anymore. I’ll just…leave you here with the twins and go back somewhere to…get myself killed or something like that, it’s what I deserve,” he answered.

She shook her head, “No, Ani, I want you to stay in my life. Please don’t go.”

“But, Padm-“

“Ani, even if you’ve done so many things wrong and barely anything right, I still loved you and knew there was always something good in you.”

“I-is that what you really want? For me to stay?”

She placed a hand on his thigh, “Please.”

He sighed before a smile began to form, “Okay.”

She smiled back before laying her head against her shoulder, and for the first time in a long time, her head was laying on the shoulders of Anakin Skywalker.

____________________

**_One year later…_ **

Padmé woke up and felt the familiar arm holding her on the bed. It was Anakin’s. She turned around and grinned at Anakin, who was barely awake, “Good morning, Ani.”

“Good morning, angel,” he replied before she planted a kiss on his lips.

“How was your sleep?”

“Great, and yours?”

“Lovely,” she smiled again. “Though I guess it always has been ever since I woke up in your arms here in this home of ours.”

Anakin chuckled, “I guess I could say the same.”

“It’s been one year ever since we moved in here. It’s the best home I’ve ever had,” she sighed dreamily.

“And, we’ve got a lot of years to come,” he added.

“I will never regret going here with you and running away ever,” she declared.

“Me neither. Ever since that night when we ran away, I’ve only felt…freer, I guess. I’ve never freer than ever. I was always a slave to Watto when I was a child, a slave to the Jedi, and a slave to the Empire, but now, with you, I’m free.”

She pouted with a small smile, “You are, and you always will be.”

“I should’ve known you were always right,” he sighed, and Padmé knew he was going to go on about an apology now. “Padmé, I’m so sorr-“

“Ani, it’s okay,” she interrupted, quickly ending his rant. “You know, I was always a slave, too, a slave to duty. I never really enjoyed a free life because I always felt obligated to fulfill my duty, you know? But now, with you and Luke and Leia, I’m free just like you.”

“Don’t you think we woke up a little too early?”, he yawned. “I think we deserve a bit more sleep.”

“It’s like…7 in the morning, Ani,” she pointed out.

“So, what? It’s not like we have a job to do. The twins are asleep, and I’m not feeling _that_ hungry.”

“How about we just make out lazily? I love it when we make out while we’re sleepy.”

He snorted, “I just love it when we make out in general.”

She giggled softly before sloppily planting a long kiss on his lips, and she did that with the idea that the rest of her life would be this simple. Just her, Anakin, and the twins. Some might say it’s a lonely life, but for her and her family, it was more of a simple one.

Just the four of them.


End file.
